Nigella damascena 'Cramers' Plum'
Trial: Annual
Years Trialed: 1997
Good Qualities:
Beautiful dried burgundy color (3) to the seed heads; Dries well (2); Very nice mixer for our mixed bunches. The variety had great germination but I have never had luck growing this species. A friend in the dried flower business took some of the plants and had good luck with them and they have been a marketable dried for her; The dark colored pods are excellent. High design potential. They also have a long vase life as a fresh cut; Many blossoms per stems; No problems.
Problems:
Seeded into garden but only 2% was Aplum@ colored, most of the plants must have reverted back to parent plants and were blue. Unlike my other nigella these had small 1/2 pods and spindly stems; Short-may have been caused by our excessive drought. It was irrigated but is never quite the same.
Trial Data
| Yield (stems/plant) | Stem Length (inches) | Market Appreciation Rating (1) | Repeat Again Rating (1) | Ease of Cultivation Rating (1) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average | 7.6 | 11 | 3.1 | 3.6 | 3.6 |
(1) 1 to 5 scale, with 5 being the best. Market ratings are based on sales to wholesalers, retailers, or final consumers direct.
Supplier
Cramers' Posie Patch
116 Trial Rd. N.
Elizabethtown, PA 17022
717-367-9494
FAX 717-367-8666
Comments:
Could these be fall planted?; Fresh sales of seed pods were dismal, Atoo dark@ was the comment, but it was the Queen of dried sales, people loved the AVictorian coloring;; It was too late to direct sow the seed in the spring and since I haven't had luck with transplants I chose to plant the seed this fall so I will have results next year; Fair germination.